A bientot

It's been over 30 years since I first began my French studies with two years of college-level instruction in the north wing of Old Main at USU. It was a small class, less than 10 students who made it through those two years, and we got great instruction from our professor in pronunciation and literature, though I don't remember a lot of conversation -- something likely unusual today.

In those 30 years, I've kept trying to learn, considering my language study a bit of unfinished business.

I've listened to tapes, I've filled out workbooks. I've taken community ed classes, I've hired tutors. I've bought grammar books, verb conjugation books, learn-French-in-10-minutes-a-day books. I've read from novels translated into French, I've listened to CDs while driving, I've invited college students over to converse, I've listened to movies in French.
Of all the hobbies and projects and interests that have come and gone in my life, this one can't seem to go. I loved my geology classes at USU, and my history classes, even my physics class was fun for one semester until trigonometry got involved. Each of these interests I have successfully put to the side over the years.

But not French.

I don't know where my interest came in the first place -- was it the Christmas music of Gisele we grew up with? Was it loving the art of Monet and music of Debussy? Was it a French name? Was it a love of the castles and cathedrals of France? Was it the beautiful sound of the mellow language?

I can't say I really understand why I haven't given it up on it yet either -- is it because I want another excuse to travel there? Is it because learning a language makes me more sympathetic to the struggles of those new to America or those who converse with tourists in multiple languages? Is it because I want to show that Americans really are more broadminded than some people think? Is it because I want to delay Alzheimer's and would rather not do crossword puzzles?
Whatever the reasons that led up to it and have kept it going, this passion is about to take a new plunge -- studying French in France.

Call it reaching out towards a goal. Call it fulfilling something on the bucket list. Call it an adventure. Call it craziness.

I'll see you later...